Would this make a good back-up gun?

A

ABowe

Inactive
Recently at a gun show I came across a Rossi R351 snubnose revolver. They are fairly inexpensive but looked well-built. My primary for HD in a Remington 870 and I own other guns for target and sport shooting. Being I don't plan to run thousands of round through it would the R351 be a good, RELIABLE back-up for HD. Most of the posts I've read indicate they are decent quality but not something that will become a prized possesion and passed down through generations. (I have a pre-agreement 686-4 with a 4-inch barrel I keep stored and plan to give to my son someday).
Thanks in advance for any and all information. BigAl
 
I've owned a couple...

...Rossis, and they've usually been functional guns. None ever broke, they shot reasonably accurately, and the triggers were (with the exception of the really nice DAO one on my current M720) mostly unexceptional.
 
I think Tamara got lucky.Friend bought one and we took it out.Lasted 18 rds before it locked up.Light target loads too.ANother friend teaches CCW classes and has for about 6 yrs now.He says no Rossi has ever made it through a class without problems.
Buy a used S&W or at least a taurus. Taurus's are much better from what I hear then rossi
 
I second beemerb's recommendation of a used S&W or a Taurus. The shop I used to frequent pushed Rossi for a while (greater markup potential) but switched to Taurus when the Rossis kept coming back for 'warranty work'. A new Taurus generally costs about half of a new S&W, or about the same price as a used one.

Hmmmm, new Taurus with their lifetime warranty or a S&W that has lost most of its support network. Your call.

Your results may vary....
 
Big Al, why store a perfectly good "back up" gun, then buy another one? Wouldn't your son rather one day own they gun that was in his father's nightstand for decades than the same gun with no sentimental value attached?
 
ABowe,

I am really with Justice on this one. The 686 in 4" is a far better home defense gun than any 2" 38 for a lot of reasons including accuracy, stopping power, follow up shots etc. The best home defense articles that I have read repeat this too. If you don't need to conceal carry, it has a lot going for it. You are probably good with the 686, especially if it is the one gun that you practice with the most. That makes a difference too in real life "need to use fast" situations.

If you are married, you wife will probably enjoy shooting the 686 much more, and therefore will not be recoil sensitive when compared to the short gun. I just sold my last 2" revolver, which I had purchased for my wife as her home gun. The 4" 66 is much better in every respect for her. Especially because she just plain feels more confident with it.

Raymond3
 
My first go around with a snubby revolver was with a rossi 38 w/ blue finish I was looking at a few well used S&W mod 36's and asked the owner if he had any thing with a better finish and he took a new rossi out of his safe and said it cost about the same as the used smith's I was looking at ($195.00)and was just as well made,I said I had never really heard good things about rossi's and he said otherwise,"good guns,I sell a ton of em" so I bought it, It was junk,bad trigger and it locked up the first time at the range shooting mild reloads,brought it back,he was a jerk about it because i said something to the effect of "these guns are junk" he fixed it and before shooting it again I tradded it elseware on a S&W mod 649 and have since owned a bunch more snubby's mostly smiths, two colts and one taurus, in defense ot the current rossi's this was probally 8-10yrs ago before taurus bought them.

[Edited by pocketman on 12-17-2000 at 04:09 PM]
 
"I think Tamara got lucky."

beemerb...

Seems to me that Tamara wouldn't need luck...but that'd be another subject. :cool:

I like the current Rossi [Made in Brazil by Taurus] products. They are light-years away from what was imported ten years ago; once you invest in the proper CNC machinery and use good materials, you're pretty much on par with *&* [especially given their current "situation"] and Ruger.

Handled a high-polish stainless R462/.357 Mag/six-shooter at the show yesterday, and was *very* impressed with the fit and finish.

Fess up, all you gun snobs...don't you really like the idea of a fine piece of machinery at a really good price? :)
 
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